Be Grateful

In the midst of all the chaos in the world today, how do you become a woman filled with thanks and gratitude? How do you focus on what you have and not complain about what you don’t have? How do you “count it all joy,” even when everything isn’t perfect? It has been said that the key to happiness is an attitude of gratitude and that your attitude determines your altitude.

Gratitude is one the best virtues to add to your life. The word gratitude is defined as a feeling of thankful appreciation for favors or benefits received. However, it encompasses more than thanks and appreciation. To be grateful is to show those feelings of thanks in your everyday life. To be grateful requires actions, not just feelings. Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

There are many reasons and benefits to being grateful. Gratitude can improve your physical and mental health. Self esteem is improved by being grateful. Your level of empathy goes up and the level of apathy and unkindness goes down. When you are grateful, you will complain less and see yourself and others in a brighter light. According to Melody Beattie, “Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” 

This type of spirit does not come naturally for most people. I went through a time in my life when I could not see that the cup was half full. I was upset with things in my life and I could not see the blessings in front of my face. I complained and felt hopeless. I started a gratitude journal and wrote down the good things that happened each day. I put in quotes and scriptures to encourage myself. This practice helped me to focus on what I had and not what I did not have. It helped me appreciate my blessings as I strived for changes in certain areas.  It is easy to focus on what’s wrong in your life and what you don’t have. This is not conducive to a healthy you. It only brings you down as well as those around you. However, gratitude is something that can be developed. Here are Three Ways to Cultivate Gratitude in Your Life:

1. Start a Gratitude Journal – A gratitude journal is a great way to start listing who and what you are grateful for each day. You can start slow by writing 1 to 3 things per day and then increase it as you go. It can include why you are grateful for particular things or how you express gratitude towards others. Make it descriptive and personal. Looking through my gratitude journal on really difficult days helps me see that there is always something to be grateful for in my life.
2. Say Thank You – Another great way to boost gratitude is to say thank you to those around you. Giving thanks for those around you and what they do in your life helps you count your blessings. You can say thank you in person or you could write thank you notes and send them to people.
3. Give Back – The ultimate way to express gratitude is to give back to others. Giving not only helps the person you give to, it also helps the giver. The happiest people are those that give back and find a way to uplift those in need. There are many ways to give back during this time of year such as food drives, clothing donations, toy drives, and volunteering. Check out some online if you can’t think of one or create your own way to give back. This year we are doing a used toy drive and it was an idea from my oldest son.

Learning to see the bright side and practicing gratitude can change your outlook on life. It has helped me appreciate what I have and be open to what else is in store for me. Gratitude is good for your health and can improve your relationships with others. Gratitude is the ultimate thank you. Start implementing small steps to cultivate gratitude and see the difference it can make in your life. Be grateful today!